Snap lock for portable typewriter cases or like receptacles



Jan. 20, 1959 E. NEUMANN ,8

SNAP LOCK FOR PORTABLE TYPEWRITER CASES OR LIKE RECEPTACLES Filed Aug. 15, 1956 [nrema 2 ENG- mam Ilpll IIIIIIIII'IIII'III'IIIII Unite tates SNAP LOCK FOR PORTABLE TYPEWRITER CASES R LEKE RECEPTACLES Erich Neuinann, Biclefeld, Germany Application August 15, 1956, Serial No. 604,193 Claims priority, application Germany August 1?, 1955 3 Claims. (Cl. 45-68.2)

This invention relates to a snap lock for portable typewriter cases or like receptacles, comprising a catch held in the locked position by a spring and a carrier handle which pulls on its fastenings in the horizontal direction when it is used to carry the case or the like.

Known snap action locks for portable typewriter cases or like receptacles are usually so constructed that the catch is released by the sliding displacement, against the pull of a spring, of an actuating member connected with the catch. The actuating-member is nearly always openly located on that side of the case or receptacle to which the carrier handle is likewise attached. When the case is picked up by the carrier handle, or if the locked case is carelessly handled, the catch may be accidentally withdrawn and the case unexpectedly open.

To prevent a case provided with a carrier handle from accidentally opening safety devices coupled with the handle have been provided. In known devices of this kind additional catches or fastenings are employed to provide either an additional locking action for securing the case, or a safety device for retaining the catch in the locked position when the case is picked up by the carrier handle.

Such additional safety devices call for a comparatively large expenditure in means and they require a good deal of space.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a snap action lock with a simple, cheaply manufactured, safety device which takes up no additional space and which prevents the case from opening when it is held by the carrier handle.

The invention is based on the principle that by making use of the horizontal pull of the carrier handle on its fastenings an accidental release of the lock can be prevented in a very simple way.

The invention consists in that, in a portable typewriter case or like receptacle comprising a catch held in the locked position by a locking spring and a carrier handle which pulls on its fastenings in the horizontal direction when it is used to carry the case or the like, one of the fastenings of the carrier handle is connected with the catch or its actuating member and transmits the horizontal pull to the catch or its actuating member in the direction in which it will augment the pull of the locking spring that holds the catch in the locked position.

The connection between the fastening of the handle and the catch or its actuating member may be direct it the lock is designed to be opened by the slidable placement of the catch or its actuating member in the direction opposed to the horizontal pull of the carrier handle when this is used to carry the case.

It will be readily understood that transversely elastic handles the ends of which are attached to the receptacle will always produce a horizontal pull at their points of attachment when the receptacle is carried by such a handle, provided the handle is so constructed that in its position of rest it will lie more or less fiat on the side of the receptacle and will not arch until it is used to carry 2,85%,232 Patented Jan. 2%, l h'ii the receptacle. The flatter the arch formed by the handle in the carrying position the greater will be the horizontal pull it exerts on its fastenings.

A particularly simple form of construction arises when the handle and the catch are relatively so disposed that the horizontal pull created at least at one end of the handle in the carrying position acts in the same direction as that in which the lock spring thrusts or pulls the catch.

To avoid the carrier handle in its position of rest projecting substantially beyond the lateral edge of the case to which it is attached it is an advantage to embody the handle in a transversely elastic strap provided at its ends with elongated holes (slots) by means of which the carrier handle is attached to its fastenings, and to arrange for the actuating member of the catch to engage one of these elongated holes.

To relieve the actuating member of the catch from the vertical load due to the weight of the case and to subject it only to horizontal pull the fastenings of the carrier handle, according'to the invention, are covered by shallow shrouds, open at one end, into which the slotted ends of the carrier handle slidably project whereas the his tenings are supported in the shrouds and/or the cover of the receptacle.

An illustrative example of the invention is shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is the snap lock of a portable typewriter case seen from above, part of the case being broken away to show the locking action,

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line ll--Il in Fig. 1 showing the catch in its position of rest (case locked), and

Fig. 3 shows the position of the individual parts when the case is being carried,'that is to say when the handle is stretched.

The portable typewriter case which consists of a base 1 and a cover 2 is fitted with a simple catch the principal parts of which are secured to a base plate 3 fitted under-- neath the upper edge of the cover. The longitudinally slidable catch 4 is held in the locked position by a tension spring 5. In this position the catch engages with a projection behind the receiver plate 6 secured to the base of the case. A button 7 rigidly connected with the catch 4 permits the catch to be withdrawn.

The carrier handle 8 is embodied in a flat transversely elastic strap held at both ends by means of fastenings formed or covered by cap members and 19. Elongated holes ill and 12 are provided in the ends of the carrier handle 8. The shank 13 of the release button '7 passes through a longitudinal slot it in the cap member 9 and through the elongated hole 11 of the handle 8, the button itself projecting from the top of the cap 9 so as to be capable of lateral outward displacement (for withdrawing the catch) in the direction of the arrow. The other end of handle 8 is held by the shank 13' of a retaining button 15 which is rigidly fixed in the shroud member lid and in the cover 2 of the case.

The catch operates as follows: In its position of rest the transversely elastic handle 8 lies nearly flat against the surface of the cover 2 of the case. The elongated hole 11 in the handle permits the release button '7 to be freely displaced in the direction of arrow 1 3 so that 0 15 and at the other end to the shank 13 of the release button 1. The horizontal pull acting on the shank 13 will be taken up by the stop surface of the slot 11' in the shroud member 9 which limits the inward travel of the release button, and by the corresponding end of the longitudinal slot 16 in the cover part of the case. However, this horizontal force prevents the catch from being accidentally released because it supports the pull of the tension spring 5 that opposes the release of the catch.

The vertical forces produced by the weight of the typewriter case are taken up by the shroud members 9 and 10 which are themselves firmly anchored to the base plate 3.

The principal advantage inherent in the novel form of snap action catch is that an effective safety mechanism has been created with the simplest of means. No lever trains are required. The force which opposes the release of the catch acts directly in the direction of movement of the catch and a deflection of the line of action of forces is not required. The catch and its safety device can be of very shallow construction and it can be given an attractive appearance.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a portable receptacle having a carrying handle and a closable lid, an internal lock structure for releasably securing the lid in a closed position comprising a slidable bar member located adjacent the outer edge of the receptacle body, a hook formed on said member extending outwardly beyond the said outer edge and registering with an aperture in the lid to be yieldingly engaged by an aperture lip during lid closing to seat behind the lip and hold the lid in closed position, a tension spring urging the said member in a direction to maintain the hook in seated condition, a lock release element secured to the said bar and piercing an elongated slot formed in the body, the carrying handle embracing said lock release element at one end thereof and being displaceable under the weight of the receptacle 4 when carried to force the release element and associated bar member in a direction to reinforce the urging of the said tension spring.

2. In combination with a portable receptacle having a carrying handle and a closable lid, an internal lock structure for releasably securing the lid in a closed position comprising a bar member slidably positioned adjacent an edge of the receptacle, a hook formed on said member extending outwardly beyond the edge to register with an opening in the lid to seat behind a portion of the lid in closed position, a spring urging the bar member in a direction to maintain the hook in seated condition, a lock release shaft fastened to the bar member and extending through the receptacle wall and penetrating the handle end whereby contortion of the handle into a substantially arcuate conguration under the weight of the receptacle during transport forces the release shaft in a direction to reinforce the urging of the spring.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2, including a pair of shrouds fixed to the receptacle in covering relationship to the respective ends of the handle, the said lock release shaft extending through its associated shroud to form a thumb button whose direction of motion for lock release is opposite to the'direction of force exerted by the handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,572,267 Brehm et a1 Feb. 9, 1926 1,934,397 Bales et al Nov. 7, 1933 1,963,954 Clark June 26, 1934 1,973,479 Green et al Sept. 11, 1934 2,239,597 Dobson Apr. 22, 1941 2,689,777 Wolters Sept. 21, 1954 2,732,240 Hutzelman J an. 24, 1956 

